(CNN) Don’t be surprised if you see U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at the LGBTQ Pride Parade this year or appear in your dating app.
The CDC tries to warn men in Florida or traveling to Florida, especially those who identify as gay, bisexual, queer, or trans, that they must get a vaccine that can prevent them from getting meningococcal disease. Meningococcal disease, including meningitis, is a bacterial infection of the lining of the brain and spinal cord.
An epidemic is underway in Florida, which the CDC describes as “one of the worst outbreaks of meningococcal disease among homosexuals and bisexual men in U.S. history.”
As of Friday, there were 26 cases and seven deaths, of which 24 were among men who have sex with men. Six deaths were also part of the LGBTQ community. Half of the cases were in men who identify as Hispanic.
The disease doesn’t just affect people who identify as LGBT or Q and the disease doesn’t seem to be related to one particular event. The CDC is still investigating, but the epidemic is ongoing.
The epidemic comes as the CDC tracks another unusual epidemic of monkeypox in countries where the disease is not endemic, including the United States. As of Friday, the CDC had reported 201 cases of orthopoxvirus in the United States, including 16 in Florida.
The threat to the general American population is low, the CDC says, but there are significantly more cases of monkeypox among homosexuals, bisexuals, and other men who have sex with men. “However, anyone who has been in close contact with someone who has monkeypox is in danger,” the CDC notes.
Assistant Director of Prevention, Department of Food, Water and Environment Diseases at the CDC, Sam Crowe, told CNN on Friday that many cases of meningococcus were concentrated in central Florida, but now there are cases across the state.
Meningococcal disease does not have to be fatal. According to the CDC, usually two and 10 people who get a bacterial infection die. But as soon as a person gets sick he must get antibiotics immediately.
The CDC plans to continue with extensive publicity and education in English and Spanish in local newspapers, through gay media and on social apps throughout the summer. The agency says that her presence at the pride events will continue during the summer.
In the Grindr application, the company said that it is cooperating with the CDC and the non-profit organization Building Health Online Communities, which supports the health of homosexuals, in order to spread the news about the epidemic.
Gridr said he first sent a message about the epidemic in April and then sent another message to his customers in Florida two weeks ago. One message warns users that homosexuals and men in Florida are at increased risk of meningococcal disease and to seek help immediately if they experience symptoms such as a stiff neck, headache or severe flu-like symptoms. The second gives an incentive for the vaccine.
People may not know that there is an urgent need to see a doctor because the symptoms may resemble other health problems such as a hangover or the flu.
“It’s part of the challenge,” Crowe told CNN. “High fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, even a dark purple rash. But it can progress very quickly and lead to death in a very short period of time. So we tell people that if they see these symptoms, definitely get to your doctor as soon as possible.”
It is not as contagious as the common cold Crow said, people need close contact with an infected person to get sick. But “close contact” can only mean living in the same household.
It is spread by respiratory secretions, such as saliva or saliva, or it can be spread by kissing.
“It’s very worrying that we see so many deaths, and then even people who have survived have a lot of really bad consequences including potential limb amputation and deafness. It’s a very serious, serious illness,” Crowe said.
People living with HIV are especially vulnerable because they are immunocompromised.
The CDC has long encouraged people living with HIV to be vaccinated against meningococcal disease to prevent severe disease. But now the CDC is telling the community, regardless of HIV status, to get the vaccine immediately. Even if they had him as a child. Typically, vaccine protection disappears after approximately five years.
People should look for the MenACWY vaccine. There is another, MenB, but a subtype of bacteria from serogroup C is what seems to be the root of these cases among the LGBTQ community in Florida.
“The vaccine is readily available. People can go to their local doctor,” Crowe said. “The vaccine is also available for free at the district health department. We try to get everyone who wants the vaccine as soon as possible.”
Where is meningococcal disease most common?
N. meningitidis is found worldwide, but the highest incidence occurs in the “meningitis belt” of sub-Saharan Africa (Map 4-10). Meningococcal disease is hyperendemic for this region, and periodic epidemics during the dry season (December-June) reach up to 1,000 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
Where are Meningococcal Bacteria Found? Meningococcal bacteria live naturally in the back of the nose and throat in about 10 percent of the population without causing the disease. These people are known as ‘carriers’. These people can pass the disease on to someone else.
Where is meningococcal most common?
Meningococcal disease occurs worldwide, with the highest incidence of the disease found in the ‘meningitis belt’ of sub-Saharan Africa. In this region, large epidemics occur every 5 to 12 years, and the attack rate reaches 1,000 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
Who is most likely to get meningococcal?
Infants, teens, and young adults, and the elderly have the highest rate of meningococcal disease in the United States.
Where is meningococcal disease most common?
N. meningitidis is found worldwide, but the highest incidence occurs in the “meningitis belt” of sub-Saharan Africa (Map 4-10). Meningococcal disease is hyperendemic for this region, and periodic epidemics during the dry season (December – June) reach up to 1,000 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
Is meningococcal common in USA?
Meningococcal disease rates have declined in the United States since the 1990s and remain low. In 2019, about 375 total cases of meningococcal disease were reported (incidence rate of 0.11 cases per 100,000 people).
Who is most affected by meningococcal disease?
Infants, teens, and young adults, and the elderly have the highest rate of meningococcal disease in the United States.
What populations are most affected by meningitis?
meningitidis have been identified, of which 6 (A, B, C, W, X and Y) can cause epidemics. Meningococcal meningitis can affect anyone of any age, but mainly affects babies, preschool children and young people.
Who is at high risk for meningitis and why?
Bacterial meningitis is common in people under the age of 20. They live in a community. Students living in dormitories, staff in military bases, and children in boarding schools and child care facilities are at higher risk for meningococcal meningitis.
What age group is most at risk for meningococcal infection?
“Meningococcal disease is most common in very young infants, teenagers and young adults, and those over 65 years of age.
Who is at risk for meningococcal disease?
Anyone can get meningococcal disease, but certain people are at increased risk, including: Infants under 1 year of age. Adolescents and young adults aged 16 to 23 years. Students living in dormitories.
Which group has the highest rate of meningococcal infection?
Disease Trends Anyone can get meningococcal disease, but the incidence rate is highest in children under 1 year of age, followed by a second peak in adolescence. Among adolescents and young adults, those aged 16 to 23 have the highest rate of meningococcal disease (see Figure 2).
What group of people are prone to meningitis?
Who is in danger? Although meningitis affects all ages, young children are most at risk. Newborns are at the highest risk of group B streptococci, and young children are at higher risk of meningococci, pneumococci and Haemophilus influenzae.
Can you get meningitis from kissing?
Is meningitis contagious? Close contact – not accidental contact at work or school – can transmit bacteria and viruses that cause meningitis. This includes kissing, coughing or sneezing. Sharing cutlery, glasses, food or towels can also spread these bacteria and viruses.
How is meningitis transmitted from person to person? Viral meningitis Enteroviruses that cause meningitis can be spread by direct contact with saliva, nasal mucus or feces. They are easily spread by coughing and sneezing. Direct or indirect contact with an infected person increases the risk of getting the same virus.
What virus can you get from kissing?
Only certain sexually transmitted diseases or sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are transmitted through kissing. The two common viruses are herpes simplex virus (HSV) and cytomegalovirus (CMV). A kiss can be one of the most exciting parts of a relationship. But you can also be careful when kissing if you are with someone for the first time.
Can you get a virus from kissing someone?
Kissing offers many health benefits, but it can also transmit a small number of bacteria and viruses that cause disease. Bacteria and viruses in the saliva or blood of one person can be transmitted to another person by kissing. Some diseases spread more easily than others.
Can you get diseases from kisses?
Although kissing is considered to be low risk compared to intercourse and oral sex, it is possible that kissing is transmitted by CMV, herpes and syphilis. CMV can be present in saliva, and herpes and syphilis can be transmitted by skin-to-skin contact, especially at times when wounds are present.
How easy is it to get meningitis?
The infection is usually transmitted by people who carry these viruses or bacteria in their nose or throat, but are not sick themselves. The infection can also be transmitted by someone with meningitis, although it is less common. It is possible to get meningitis more than once.
What are the chances of catching meningitis?
Am I in danger? The risk of getting the disease is very low. Although meningococcal disease is contagious and can cause an outbreak, 97 out of every 100 cases are isolated, unrelated to any other cases.
How likely are you to get bacterial meningitis?
In the United States, about 2,600 sporadic cases of bacterial meningitis are reported each year. Meningitis caused by pneumococcal infections affects about 1.1 per 100,000 people. Meningitis caused by haemophilus influenza affects the eye. 2 per 100,000 individuals.
How long does it take to get meningitis from someone?
How long should it take to get sick if someone is infected with meningitis? If you got sick, it would happen in 1-10 days, usually less than four days. A person can be contagious from the moment they are infected until the bacteria disappears from their body.
Can kissing transmit meningitis?
Bacteria that can be transmitted by kissing Examples of bacteria that can be transmitted during kissing include: Meningococcal disease – this is a potentially life-threatening condition that includes meningitis, inflammation of the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord, and septicemia.
Can meningitis transfer from person to person?
People can spread viruses that cause viral meningitis to other people. If you are in close contact with someone who has viral meningitis, they can transmit the virus to you. However, you are not likely to develop meningitis. This is because most people infected with these viruses will not develop meningitis.
Can meningitis spread through kissing?
People spread the meningococcal bacterium to other people by sharing secretions from the airways and throat (saliva or saliva). In general, close (e.g., coughing or kissing) or long contact is required to spread these bacteria. Fortunately, they are not as contagious as germs that cause colds or flu.
What causes meningococcal Septicaemia?
Meningococcal septicemia is an infection of the bloodstream caused by the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis. Any disease caused by these bacteria is called meningococcal disease. The two most common types are meningococcal meningitis and meningococcal septicemia.
How often do you need a meningococcal vaccine? Give an extra dose of MenB vaccine 1 year after the end of the series, and then every 2 to 3 years thereafter. For those at increased risk of an epidemic who have previously received a series of MenB vaccines, the CDC recommends an additional dose if a year or more has elapsed since the end of the primary series.
Is meningococcal vaccine necessary?
All children aged 11 to 12 years should receive the meningococcal vaccine (MenACWY) followed by an additional dose at the age of 16 years. Vaccination is also recommended for all adolescents aged 13 to 18 who have not received the dose at the age of 11-12.
When did meningitis vaccine become mandatory?
| State | If mandate, when is a single dose needed? | Date of implementation |
|---|---|---|
| California | ||
| Colorado | ||
| Connecticut | Gr 7 | August 2011 |
| Delaware | Gr 9 | SY 2016–17 |
How important is meningococcal vaccine?
Why should my child get meningococcal injections? Protects against bacteria that cause meningococcal disease. It protects your child from infections of the mucous membranes of the brain and spinal cord, as well as infections of the bloodstream.
Is the meningococcal vaccine optional?
Fourteen of the 15 states with the highest ACWY meningococcal vaccination rates have a mandate. As of July 2019, 31 states and Washington, D.C. order the first dose of MenACWY vaccine at the age of 11-12 years, while only 17 states order the second dose of MenACWY at the age of 16-17 years, in accordance with CDC recommendations.
Is it mandatory to get meningococcal vaccine?
The CDC recommends meningococcal vaccination for all pre-teens and teenagers. In certain situations, the CDC also recommends that other children and adults receive the meningococcal vaccine.
Is meningococcal vaccine same as meningitis vaccine?
Meningococcal vaccines protect against meningitis. Most people correctly use the term “meningitis vaccine” for meningococcal immunization. Approval for this meningococcal vaccine arrived in the United States in 1974.
Is the meningitis vaccine called meningococcal?
There are 2 types of meningococcal vaccines available in the United States: Meningococcal conjugate or MenACWY vaccine (Menactra®, Menveo® and MenQuadfi®) Meningococcal vaccine serogroup B or MenB vaccine (Bexsero® and Trumenba®)
What is another name for the meningococcal vaccine?
MenB vaccine Bexsero® helps protect against serogroup B meningococcal disease: Trumenba®: Vaccine suppliers give a series of 2 doses to people aged 16 to 23 who are not at increased risk of meningococcal disease.
What is the meningitis A vaccine called?
The meningococcal vaccine (MenACWY) is very effective in protecting against four strains of meningococcal bacteria. Three strains are common in the United States, and the fourth strain protects travelers to certain countries where the disease is more common.
Is meningitis Shot same as meningococcal?
Meningitis is a dangerous inflammation of the mucous membranes of the brain and spinal cord. Two meningitis vaccines protect against four types of meningococcal disease. The additional type of vaccine protects against serotype B, which also causes meningitis.
What is the meningococcal vaccine?
Meningococcal vaccines protect against meningococcal disease, which can lead to bacterial meningitis and other serious infections.
What does meningococcal vaccine prevent?
Meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MenACWY) protects against four types (serogroups A, C, W and Y) of Neisseria meningitidis. The meningococcal vaccine of serogroup B (MenB) protects against one species (serogroup B) of the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis.
Is meningococcal vaccine necessary?
Who should get the meningococcal vaccine? The CDC recommends meningococcal vaccination for all pre-teens and teenagers. In certain situations, the CDC also recommends that other children and adults receive the meningococcal vaccine.
Who should take meningococcal vaccine?
Who needs a meningococcal vaccine? The CDC recommends a meningococcal vaccine for: all children aged 11-18 or certain younger high-risk children (MenB is recommended for people aged 16-18 who are not at high risk.) Anyone who has been exposed to meningitis during an epidemic.
How serious is Covid meningitis?
The disease is deadly and debilitating, it occurs quickly and affects people of all ages. A discussion of the first known case of meningitis associated with SARS-CoV-2 was published in the May 2020 issue of the International Journal of Infectious Diseases, showing the neuroinvasive potential of the virus.
How long can the COVID-19 virus stay in your body? But for most infected people, the level of the virus in the body reaches a peak between three and six days after the initial infection, and the immune system removes the pathogen within 10 days. The virus that appears after this period is generally not contagious.
What are some of the emergency warning signs of COVID-19?
Seek medical attention immediately if you or a loved one is at home and has warning signs, including difficulty breathing, persistent chest pain or pressure, new confusion, inability to stay awake, or bluish lips or face.
What are some of the first symptoms of COVID-19?
Early symptoms reported by some people include fatigue, headache, sore throat or fever. Others experience a loss of smell or taste. COVID-19 can cause symptoms that are mild at first, but then become more intense over five to seven days, with worsening cough and shortness of breath.
Is fever a symptom of COVID-19?
If you have a fever, cough or other symptoms, you may have COVID-19. Most people have a mild illness and can recover at home.
What are COVID-19 toes?
Erythema pernio, known as frostbite, has often been reported in younger people with mild COVID-19 to the extent that they have earned the nickname ‘COVID toes’. However, the reason for their development is not yet obvious.
What is a severe case of COVID-19?
According to the CDC, reported diseases of COVID-19 ranged from mild (no reported symptoms in some cases) to severe to the extent that they required hospitalization, intensive care, and / or ventilator. In some cases, COVID-19 disease can lead to death.
What are some symptoms of COVID-19?
â € ¢ Be wary of symptoms. Watch for fever, cough, shortness of breath or other symptoms of COVID-19.
When is the greatest risk of respiratory complications from COVID-19 for older patients?
Although each patient is different, doctors say that the fifth to tenth days of illness are often the most worrying time for Covid-19 respiratory complications, especially for elderly patients and those with underlying conditions such as high blood pressure, obesity or diabetes.
Can COVID-19 damage organs?
COVID-19 can cause permanent damage to several organs, including the lungs, heart, kidneys, liver and brain. SARS CoV-2 first affects the lungs through the nasal passages. When the lungs are severely affected, it can affect the heart.
Does COVID-19 cause kidney damage?
Some people suffering from severe cases of COVID-19 will show signs of kidney damage, even those who did not have underlying kidney problems before being infected with the coronavirus. Signs of kidney problems in patients with COVID-19 include high levels of protein or blood in the urine and abnormal blood work.
How many times can I get COVID-19?
‘Long-term pattern’ According to some infectious disease researchers, Covid-19 reinfections are likely to become more common as time goes on, and different variants continue to circulate – with some people potentially seeing a third or fourth reinfection within a year.
What are the most common organs affected by COVID-19?
The lungs are the main organs affected by COVID-19; however, the virus can also affect other organs, such as the kidneys, brain and liver. The lungs are the main organs affected by COVID-19.
